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MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — Four accomplished athletes and coaches were honored on Tuesday as the Mobile Sports Hall of Fame welcomed its 2026 Class at the Mitchell Center on the campus of South Alabama.
This year’s class includes former NFL defensive back Derrick Burroughs, former NBA All-Star Derrick Coleman, longtime basketball coach and current Spring Hill College athletic director Joe Niland, and former Major League Baseball shortstop Eric Yelding.
Derrick Burroughs
NFL Player and Pro and College Football Coach
Derrick Burroughs built an impressive football career both on and off the field. A standout at Blount High School, he went on to play at Memphis State University from 1980 at 1984, where he earned Metro Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors and first-team All-Metro Conference recognition. Burroughs also participated in the 1984 Blue-Gray All-Star Game and the 1985 Senior Bowl before being selected 14th overall in the first round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills. He started eight games as a rookie and was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team. During his NFL career, he appeared in 58 games, recording six interceptions and three fumble recoveries. After his playing days, Burroughs built an extensive coaching resume spanning collegiate and professional levels, working with programs across the United States as well as teams in NFL Europe and Arena Football.
Derrick Coleman
Collegiate and NBA Star
A native of Prichard, Derrick Coleman attended Vigor High School as a freshman before moving to Michigan, where he became a McDonald’s All-American at Detroit Northern High School. He went on to star at Syracuse University, helping lead the Orange to the 1987 national championship game as a freshman and earning Big East Player of the Year and consensus All-American honors as a senior in 1990. He was selected first overall by the New Jersey Nets in the 1990 NBA Draft and went on to earn NBA Rookie of the Year honors in 1991. During a 15-year NBA career, Coleman averaged 16.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, appeared in the 1994 NBA All-Star Game, and won a gold medal with the U.S. National Team at the 1994 FIBA World Championship.
Joe Niland
Spring Hill College and University of Mobile Men’s Basketball Coach
Joe Niland has built one of the most successful coaching careers in Gulf Coast collegiate basketball. He served as head coach at Spring Hill College from 1993-1999, compiling a 127-60 record, winning two GCAC championships, and leading the Badgers to two NAIA National Tournament appearances. Niland later spent 19 seasons as head coach at the University of Mobile, where he became the program’s all-time winningest coach with a 325-244 record, two GCAC titles, and five NAIA National Tournament appearances. Over his career, he amassed a 452-304 overall record and currently serves as athletic director at Spring Hill College.
Eric Yelding
Major League Shortstop
Eric Yelding’s baseball career began at Fairhope High School, where he helped lead the Pirates to the 1983 state championship before continuing at Chipola Junior College. Selected 19th overall by the Toronto Blue Jays in the first round of the 1984 MLB Draft, Yelding quickly established himself as a speed threat, stealing 93 bases during his first two minor league seasons. He made his major league debut with the Houston Astros in 1989 and later played for the Chicago Cubs, appearing in 368 games over five seasons. During his major league career, Yelding batted .244 with three home runs, 67 runs batted in and 89 stolen bases.
*Adriana Stockard contributed to this article.
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